Kael slouched in his chair, headset crooked over unkempt hair, staring blankly at the flickering monitor. Another customer screamed in his ear about a bill he didn't make and a service he didn't understand.
"Thank you for calling Vortex Communications. I completely understand your frustration," Kael droned, fingers typing a practiced apology.
It was 2:13 a.m. Graveyard shift. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead like dying insects. His cubicle smelled faintly of coffee, sweat, and desperation.
He hated this life—trapped in a cycle of meaningless work, late-night instant noodles, and debt. His dreams of becoming a writer, a traveler, anything else—all buried under utility bills and daily quotas.
As the caller finally hung up, Kael leaned back and rubbed his eyes. "Just one more hour," he muttered. That's when the screen went black.
Then it blinked white.
A voice—not through his headset, but inside his mind—spoke:
> "Connection stabilized. Host identified. Synchronizing… Eclipse System initializing."
Kael froze. A cold breeze swept through the cubicle, but the office windows were sealed shut. His monitor displayed lines of glowing symbols he didn't recognize.
> "You have been chosen."
> "Would you like to awaken your path?"
He blinked. "What... is this a prank?" he whispered, glancing around. No one else noticed—just the hum of keyboards and tired sighs.
> [Yes] or [No]
His heart pounded. He had read enough webnovels to know how this went. But this was real. Or... was he dreaming?
Cautiously, Kael whispered, "Yes."
The world shattered.